travelin soldier
by Mrs Marcus Volturi
Summary: 18 year old, Leroy Jethro Gibbs dropped into a booth...She was beautiful,big sparkling emerald eyes, and best of all, red hair pulled back into a  bun, a few loose strands being held back by a little white bow. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a sucker for red hair


_Two days past 18, he was waiting for the bus in his navy greens, sat down in a booth at a café there. Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair_

18 year old, Leroy Jethro Gibbs dropped into a booth at 'Abby's diner', a small café on the main street. The decoration was simple, and homey, and he decided would help pass tie while he waited for the bus. He was all set to go off to the marines; in his uniform, shaved head, one bag packed on the floor at his feet. But he realised, no one was going to miss him. His mother was dead; his father too busy to even care that Jethro was gone. He was an only child, and the only girl he had ever loved, Shannon, had moved away. They had promised to stay in touch, yet they hadn't talked in over 6 months.

Jethro sighed, dropping his head onto the table, eyes half shut until long legs that seemed to go for miles blocked his view of the linoleum floor. Slowly he straightened, and looked the girl over. She was beautiful; about 16, tall, but not so much so that she towered over anyone, her skin was fair, big sparkling emerald eyes, and best of all, red hair pulled back into a stylish bun, a few lose strands being held back by a little white bow. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a sucker for red head.

"Didn't your momma ever teach you that it was rude to stare, marine?" The girl laughed, snapping Jethro from his trance.

"I'm sorry." He blushed, diverting his gaze to her nametag. Jenny. Pretty name.

"That's okay. What can I get you?" She pulled a pen from behind her ear, untucking a little note pad from her apron.

"Uh, I'll have a coffee milkshake."

_He's a little shy so she gives him a smile, he said "Would you mind sitting down for a while and talking to me. I'm feeling a little alone." She said, "I'm off in an hour, and I know where we can go."_

Jenny Shepard saw the young marine was shy, so gave him her rare smile, one barely anyone saw.

"Is that all?" She asked, seeing him relax slightly.

He just nodded, and watched as she began to walk away, then a thought stopped him.

"Would you mind sitting down for a while and talking to me? I'm feeling a little alone."

Jenny stopped, and turned still wearing that bright smile.

"I'm off in an hour, an I know where we can go." With that she walked off, leaving Jethro smiling slightly.

_So they went down and sat on the pier. He said, "I bet you got a boyfriend, but I don't care. I got no one to send a letter to. Would you mind if I send one back here to you?"_

An hour later, now dressed in casual clothes, Jenny led Jethro down to the pier, where they sat down, with their toes in the water.

They talked lightly for a while about nothing in particular, before Jethro said "I bet you have a boy friend, but I don't care. I've got no one to send a letter to. Would you mind if I send one back here to you?"

Jenny smiled, something that was becoming more frequent around Jethro, and she nodded.

"I'd like that."

Silence over took them, the sun starting to set behind the lake.

"Actually I don't." Jethro looked up at Jenny's sudden coent.

"What?"

"I don't have a boyfriend."

Jethro turned to her.

"That's certainly surprising."

_I cry, never gonna hold the hand of another guy. Too young for him, they told her. Waiting for the love of a travelling soldier. Our love will never end, waiting for the soldier to come back again. Never born to be alone, when the letter said the soldiers coming home._

Jenny sat cross-legged on her bed, a damp tissue in her hand, the tears on her cheeks drying as her best friend, Ziva sat in front of her.

"I'm never gonna hold the hand of another guy." Jenny sniffled, but Ziva just shook her head.

"You're too young for him, Jen. He's going to break your heart."

"I'm waiting for the love of a travelling soldier. Our love will never end. I will wait for him to come back again, and for the letter that says my soldier is coming home." Jenny sobbed. He had only been gone 2 days, but she missed him so much.

_So the letters came from a navy camp in California then Vietnam. He told her all about his heart. It might be love and all of the things he was scared of. He said when it's getting kinda rough over here, I think of that day sittin' down at the pier And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile. Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile_

Every Monday afternoon when she got home from school, the first thing Jenny would do was run to the mailbox, ignoring each other piece of mail, as she searched for the letter from Jethro. At first they came from a camp in California, before he got deployed to Vietnam. This day was no different, and with her letter in hand, Jenny ran inside to her room, briefly greeting her parents. She dropped onto her bed, holding the letter as if it was the holy grail, before tearing it open. It read:

Dear Jen,

I think this is love. The one thing I'm scared of. But I am overcoming that fear, and I want to let you know. When things are getting rough over here, I think back to when we were on the pier, and I close my eyes to see your pretty smile. It always makes me feel better and forget the war for a little while.

My commanding officer, Colonel Mike Franks, is a hard man to get on with. But I think he is starting to warm up to me. Either that or the slaps to the head is actually he getting up me. My team consists of 3 of the best men I have ever met. Anthony DiNozzo, a smart-ass a couple years older then me, who, though a joker gets the job done efficiently. Then there is Tim McGee. He's the sensitive kid of the group. He's an aspiring author, but his dad pushed him into the marines. He doesn't exactly fit here, but Tony, Tim and I stick together. Lastly, there is Leon Vance. Oh, how I despise him. He is the oldest of us, excluding Franks, and he likes to let us know it. He sucks up to the colonel, bosses us around, and does sloppy work. But, I respect my seniors.

I have to go now. Don't worry, I wont be able to write for a while.

Love Jethro.

_One Friday night at a football game, the lord's prayer said and the anthem sang A man said folks would you bow your heads For a list of local Vietnam dead. Crying all alone under the stands was a piccolo player in the marching band, and one name read and nobody really cared, but a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair._

It was a Friday night, and Jenny's dad, Donald took Jenny and Ziva to the football game. Before the game started, the commentator read the Lord's Prayer. When he had finished the choir sung the anthem.

"Folks, would you bow your heads for a list of local Vietnam soldiers dead." The mans words suddenly made jenny's chest constrict. She couldn't breathe. What if his name was in that list? Without another thought, Jenny leapt from her seat and ran beneath the stands. The only thing anyone would see was the piccolo player from the marching band running off somewhere, though no one did see her, as they all bowed their heads in respect for the dead.

Jenny was trying to hear the names being read, but she couldn't really think straight. But then one name caught her attention.

"…Gunnery sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs…" That's when she broke into tears, her body shaking with sobs. This wasn't happening. Now she would never get to tell him that she felt the same as he did. She wanted to settle down with him, have 4 children, grow old together, and prove everyone wrong that the 2 year difference didn't matter, they could still be happy. But that was never going to happen, now.

_I cried never gonna hold the hand of another guy too young for him they told her waiting' for the love of a travelin' soldier our love will never end waiting' for the soldier to come back again never more to be alone when the letter said soldier's coming_


End file.
